Tube mounting



D. J. NIGG 2,484,578

TUBE MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2E Figi.

Oct. 11, 1949.

Filed July 5, 1947 DEGREES RUTA T//V Inventr Donald J. Ngg,

H15 Attorneg.

v Oct. l1, 1949.

Filed July '5; 1947 D. J. NIGG TUBE MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheerl 2 FgA.

Inventor: Donald J. Mgg,

His Attorneg.

Patented Oct. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUBE MOUNTING fDonald J. Nigg, Syracuse, N. Y., assigner to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application July 5, 1947, Serial No. 759,275

4 Claims.

transmitter or power amplifier, where high power tubes are sup-porteddirectly by the transmission lines, it is the usual practice to have thelines constructed so as to telescope in order to install or remove thetubes.

In most apparatus employing such a struc ture, there is usually onlyroom for one person to perform this operation and considerable difcultyis encountered in raising the line and tube to an operating position andat the same time fastening the clamps that hold the line in position. Asthese tubes are quite heavy, it is difcult to hold the line section,with the tube mounted therein, in place with one hand while fasteningthe clamps with the other hand. Likewise a similar dimculty isencountered in lowering the line section to remove a tube, because asthe clamp is unfastened, due to the weight of the assembly it tends toslip out of the operators hand and is likely to hit the stops or thesupporting structure, damaging the tube elements.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved tube mounting andtransmission line structure suitable for a high-power transmitter,amplifier, or the like, which greatly facilitates the installation andremoval of tubes.

Another object is to provide an improved tube mounting for apparatus ofthis general type which can be installed compactly in a restricted spaceand which nevertheless permits an operator to change tubes quickly andeasily.

A further object of my invention, is to provide an improved verticaltube mounting and transmission line structure in which the tubes may bereadily raised and secured in the operating position, or quickly loweredand removed without danger of breakage.

The features of my invention, which I believe to be novel, are set forthwith particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however,together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best beunderstood by reference to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sideelevation view, partly in cross-section, of a tube mounting andtransmission line structure embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is across-sectional view through one of the transmission lines on the line2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a curve showing the transfer of rotat- `knownto the art. shown as high frequency air-cooled tubes each ing motion tovertical motion as the mounting mechanism is actuated; and Figs. fl and5 illustrate modifications of the arrangement of Fig. 1. In the variousgures like parts are given the same reference numbers.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, Ihave shown a. portion ofan anode circuit structure, which may be used in a push-p-ull amplifier'suitable for operation at ultra high frequencies.

Since the electrical component elements of such an amplifier areconventional and well known to those skilled-in the arts, I have shownonly that portion of the structure which is essential to a clearunderstanding of my invention.

The amplifier comprisesa pair of thermionic devices Ill which maybe ofany Suitable type For illustration, they are having a cylindrical anodestructure Ia, a, pair of annular grid terminals Ib and Ille, and a pairof cylindrical cathode and lament terminals IIld and Ie. The cylindricalanode structures Illa, which include heat dissipating fins and airductsl (not visible in the drawings) also serve. as the mounting basesfor the tubes IIJ. They are supported by the transmission lines II, eachof which comprises an upper section I2 and a lower section I3 of ahollow cylinder, the upper section I2 being of a slightly smallerdiameter and telescoping in the lower section I3. The transmission lineII on the left hand side of the drawing, is shown in side elevation onits ylowered position, and the one on the right hand side is shown invertical cross-section in vcord-like members illustrated as beadedchains II. When the line II is in its lowered position, the chains I'Iare parallel and equally spaced about the axis of the line structure asbest shown in the left hand side of Fig. 1. A rod I8 is attached to thecenter of member IS by means rof a pivoted joint 9 and extends upwardthrough a'clearance hole I9 in the center of spider I4 to a cross member20 securely fastened thereto. The joint 9 takes up manufacturingtolerances in the chain I'I and supporting members and allows adjustmentfor any unequal wear or stretching, but lat the same time prevents anyrelative rotation' of the rod I8 and the member rigidly upon the base2li, which may be a shelfff ff.

in the apparatus cabinet, by any suitable` means..

The upper end of each section I3 is also 'pro'- vided with a pluralityof slots 25:,sim-ilarfto those in the section l2. A clampingwringfZG'secures the line sections together so as to form a unitary structure.

The transmission lines in thistype of amplifier are generally part ofthe cooling systemasair i ducts. For this reason it is desirable thatthe lstructuresfinside tliehline be so designed as not tonblock the flowof air. -I-Ience, the -members IA'and i'are each formed with elongatedyopen- :ingspas: clearly shown -in Fig. 2, to provide minimuminterference with air flow.l Assumenow rthat it is desired to install `anew tubeand that 4the-'line -sections I2 and I3'are in the'positionsshown inthe left hand side of Fig. v1 With-clamping rings 22and 26 1oosened.f The 'tube III is vfirst yplaced in the upper sectionI2 and clamp 22v is tightened.A Withthe clamp 26-loos cned,A the' upperVsection I2, together with-the thermionic device -I0, isrotated ineither direction. This4 -rotation is'. transferred. to vertical motionby means ofthe chains I'I-,zthereby raising =thedevice, IG soythatannularfgridfterminal I0c lerngagesa plurality'of contactfngers2I`mounted =on a suitable `support. 28 whichmay' be an upper shelfinv'the apparatus-cabinet. The othergrid terminal 'Ib mayalso'engageysimilar contact fingers, and vthe terminals IIld'and :Ie arelikewise raised intoposition for connection to rsuitable cathode andheating circuits, butthese Aare vomitted from the drawing. forsimplicity since these details'formno part ofthe present invention. Thevertical motion producedbysuch rotation is shown by the curvev in Fig.3.' Theflattenedupper portion of thecurve isv designed to occur'near theoperating position of the tube, thereby providing Ea .high mechanical;advantage vwhile-'the operator holdsy the tube Yin 'position 'with' onehand while tighteningthe clamp -with fthe other. Similarly,thelat'tenedportion of the 'curve at the bottom cushions thelfall if the'tube is lowered too quickly?y or if th'e't'ube'andline -s'ection areallowed to'fd'rop completely.V Atfany -elevation' position, the chain isageneratriXl-element of a hyperboloid ofy revolution` whose axis is theaxis of the line.' 'Asl the mechanism is rotated to produce' verticalmotion, the'- 'chains' form' elements ofv succeeding families ofhyperboloids of revolution whose gore' circle diameters decrease ywithupward vertical motion. Full elevation is obtained in 18d-,degreesrotation andthe device may be rotated 1in' either: direction. f f Thevfrequency currents which'travel on.I theoutside:

surface of such a circuit.

While I have shown the membersv I "Vas exible,

they could be rigid; vprovided they'were attached tofthevmembers I6andIa9 by universal ioi'nt'ssuch asa -balLand socket joint or the-like;

Referring now to Fig. 4, I have shown a modication of the arrangement inFig. 1. The movable section I2 and discharge device II] are the same asillustrated in Fig. 1 and have been omitted from Fig. 4 for simplicity.The rod IBa is attached to the section `I2 as previously described. 'Iheother end of the rod I8al is threaded andscrews into a threaded portionof a member 3., The member 3B is attached to the wall of the section I3by screws I5 or any other suitable The device I0 is raised or lowered byrotating the section I2. The rate of travel is determined by the pitchof the threads on the rod I'Safand in member 30.

z In.Fig .5'.I1haveillustrated a further modication that is especiallyadapted where larger tubes areemployed and a greater mechanicaladvantage is desired. I have illustrated only a fragmentarycross-section view of the section I3 in which the modification isembodied. The section I2andA associated equipment is the same as infFig.l. A rod vISI; is attached to' the-section I2 as illustrated/in Fig. l.Thefother end of the lrodi'I al1-has a threaded portion that engages a,threadedtportion in a bevel vgear 3l. The gear thas a shoulder SI2-thatserves as a thrust bear,- ingfand is supported upon a housing 33 whichis 'securely attached to lthefloasef 24 by anysuitable means. A setscrew 34 ts intoa ring 35.` on gear .34 and serves to retain the gear 3|in location.

Alli-collar 3B is attached to theA end of therod lab and hasapin 3? thatextends radially into-aA slot .3E-inthe housing 33r and preventsrotation 'oithe -rodl IS-b." A bracket' 39 which may: be;a .part of.-.th'e housing 33, supports a shaft 40, upon `onerend a bevel'gearItissecurely attached `aridvmeshes 4witlfrthe gear 3I.. The other end ofthe shaftzis )adapted to t the. removablehandle t2 vwhich `is,insertedithrough an 'opening 43 in .the wall of .the :sectionr I3;Rotation of thev handle t2? rotates the gear Mfwhich in turn: .rotatesthe.`g'ear A3|, which by means of its fthreaded 'portion impartsverticalvmotionto the rod IBb-- By a selection of fgear ratios-and pitchof the threads, a widefrang'e =o`f.mechanicaladvantagemay be obtained.

The modifications as illustrated in Figs. 4i-*and 5 lproduc'e .verticalmovement ofthe tube LIl! Vand upper line section I2, as in theembod-iment'of Fig. but they may-require more than degree 'rotationvforfull travell This is offset, however, bythe increased mechanicaladvantage that may bef obtained.

- '"Whiflefl have `illustrated and described particularv embodiments ofmy invention,l modifications -thereo'f-'will'foccur tothose skilled inthe art: I desire it to be' understood; thereforethatmy Ainvention isnot to be limited to the particular 'arrangements disclosed, andI intendin the appendedclaims to cover all modifications whichdo 4iot'departfromth'e spirit and scope of my inven- 1on.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthev UnitedStates is:

1-. A mounting structure for an electron dislvcharge device comprising amovable support on which said device is mounted, 'a fixed support,meansinterconnecting saidsupportsifor normally maintainingsaid device ina noneoperatin'g position: and for moving said' device aXiallyintd anoperating position in response to rptation ofsaid device and movablesupport',"said4 'means vcom'- prising a pair of structural membersextending transversely of theA aX-isof said deviceand rigidly securedtosaid respective supportsand alsoscom'- prisingfa link-interconnectingsaid members, 'said link being arranged to cause relative axial movementof said members in response to said rota-v tion, and means foradjustably clamping said supports together to retain said device indesired axial position.

2. A structure for supporting an electron` disu charge device,comprising a tubular transmission line element having a pair ofrelatively movable, axially telescoping sections, one ci said sectionsbeing mounted in a xed position and the other of said sections beingadapted to support an electron discharge device, a plurality offlexiblecordlike members each having one end supported from the wall ofsaid fixed section at a point lying sub stantially in a. planetransverse to the axis of said element, said movable section having anoperating member rigidly secured thereto at a point on one side of saidplane and extending axially through said second section to secondtransverse plane lying on the other side of said first plane` the otherend of each of said flexible members being secured to said operatingmember at a point lying substantially in said second plane. whereby whensaid movable section is rotated, it is caused to move axially of saidiixed section.

3. A structure for supporting an electron discharge device, comprising atelescoping transmission line element having two axial sections, one ofsaid sections being mounted in fixed position and the other sectionrelatively movable and adapted to support an electron discharge device,a plurality of flexible members, each having one end supported from thewall of said fixed section in a transverse plane, said movable sectionalso having an operating member rigidly secured thereto at a point onone side of said plane and extending axially through said second sectionto a point lying substantially on the other side of said plane, theother ends of said flexible members being secured to said operatingmember at points lyingin a second transverse plane substantially beyondsaid first plane, whereby when said movable section is rotated it 'iscaused to move axially of said iixed section.

4. A structure for supporting an electron dis charge device, comprisinga vertical tubular, transmission line element having a pair of relativemovable, axially telescoping sections, one of said sections beingmounted in xed position and the other of said sections being adapted tosupport an electron discharge device, a first transverse spider securedto the wall of said movable section, a second transverse spider securedto the wall of said fixed section, an operating rod extending axially ofsaid line element, said rod having one end secured to said first spiderand extending through said second spider, a transverse plate membersupported by the other end of said rod, and a plurality of flexiblechains having one of their ends secured to said second spider at pointsspaced substantially uniformly at equal radial distances from said axisand the other of their ends secured to said plate member atsubstantially corresponding points, whereby when said movable section isrotated, it is caused to move axially of said xed section.

DONALD J. NIGG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 507,807 Green Oct. 31, 18931,545,639 Cohen July 14, 1925 1,915,802 Roshnell June 27, 1933 1,930,524Laport Oct. 17, 1933 1,945,749 Moran Feb. 6, 1934

